a 50 percent divorce rate is more than a slight overstatement;it is a destructive and misleading myth. 19 Yet for years Hollywood has been selling divorce.Remember The Last Married Couple in America,starring the late Natalie Wood?That may be a Hollywood prophecy,but it is not the reality of the American heartland.In this matter,as in so many others,by overstating the negative,the film industry leads viewers to feel terrified and/or insecure,and their behavior is adversely affected.I know many people who say,"I'm reluctant to get married because I know there's a 50 percent chance I'm going to get divorced."Wouldn't it make a difference if they there was an 80 percent chance of staying together? Rekindling Our Love Affair with Hollywood 20 There are many indications that the entertainment industry may be eager to reconnect with the grass roots-and to entertain an expanded notion of its own obligations to the public.The industry has,in some areas,behaved responsibly.In the past five years it changed its message about drugs.No longer is it making movies in which marijuana,cocaine and other drugs are glamorized.Hollywood made a decision Was it self-censorship?You bet.Was it responsible?Yes. 21 We can challenge the industry to adopt a more wholesome outlook,to send more constructive messages.We can clamor for movies that don't portray marriage as a living hell,that recognize the spiritual side of man's nature,that glorify the blessings in life we enjoy as Americans and the people who make sacrifices to ensure that others will be able to enjoy them. 22 The box office crisis put Hollywood in a receptive mood.Already two film corporations have committed to a schedule of family movies for a very simple reason: they are wildly successful.Only two percent of movies released in 1991 were G-rated3 -just 14 titles-but at least 8 of these 14 proved to be unequivocably profitable.(By comparison,of more than 600 other titles,at most 20 percent earned back their investment.)Look at Beauty and the Beast,my choice for Best Movie of 1991.It was a stunning financial success.We need many more pictures like this,and not just animated features geared for younger audiences.Shouldn't it be possible to create movies with adult themes but without foul language,graphic sex or cinematic brutality? During Hollywood's golden age,industry leaders understood that there was nothing inherently mature about these unsettling elements. 23 People tell me sometimes,"Boy,the way you talk,it sounds as though you really hate movies."The fact is that I don't.I'm a film critic because I love movies.And I want to tell you something:All of the people who are trying to make a difference in this business love movies and they love the industry,despite all its faults.They love what it has done in the past,and they love its potential for the future.They believe that Hollywood can be the dream factory again. 24 When I go to a screening,sit in a theater seat,and the lights go down,there's a little something inside me that hopes against all rational expectation that what I'm going to see on the screen is going to delight me,enchant me,and entice me,like thea 50 percent divorce rate is more than a slight overstatement; it is a destructive and misleading myth. 19 Yet for years Hollywood has been selling divorce. Remember The Last Married Couple in America, starring the late Natalie Wood? That may be a Hollywood prophecy, but it is not the reality of the American heartland. In this matter, as in so many others, by overstating the negative, the film industry leads viewers to feel terrified and/or insecure, and their behavior is adversely affected. I know many people who say, “I’m reluctant to get married because I know there’s a 50 percent chance I’m going to get divorced.” Wouldn’t it make a difference if they there was an 80 percent chance of staying together? Rekindling Our Love Affair with Hollywood 20 There are many indications that the entertainment industry may be eager to reconnect with the grass roots—and to entertain an expanded notion of its own obligations to the public. The industry has, in some areas, behaved responsibly. In the past five years it changed its message about drugs. No longer is it making movies in which marijuana, cocaine and other drugs are glamorized. Hollywood made a decision. Was it self-censorship? You bet. Was it responsible? Yes. 21 We can challenge the industry to adopt a more wholesome outlook, to send more constructive messages. We can clamor for movies that don’t portray marriage as a living hell, that recognize the spiritual side of man’s nature, that glorify the blessings in life we enjoy as Americans and the people who make sacrifices to ensure that others will be able to enjoy them. 22 The box office crisis put Hollywood in a receptive mood. Already two film corporations have committed to a schedule of family movies for a very simple reason: they are wildly successful. Only two percent of movies released in 1991 were G-rated 3 —just 14 titles—but at least 8 of these 14 proved to be unequivocably profitable. (By comparison, of more than 600 other titles, at most 20 percent earned back their investment.) Look at Beauty and the Beast, my choice for Best Movie of 1991. It was a stunning financial success. We need many more pictures like this, and not just animated features geared for younger audiences. Shouldn’t it be possible to create movies with adult themes but without foul language, graphic sex or cinematic brutality? During Hollywood’s golden age, industry leaders understood that there was nothing inherently mature about these unsettling elements. 23 People tell me sometimes, “Boy, the way you talk, it sounds as though you really hate movies.” The fact is that I don’t. I’m a film critic because I love movies. And I want to tell you something: All of the people who are trying to make a difference in this business love movies and they love the industry, despite all its faults. They love what it has done in the past, and they love its potential for the future. They believe that Hollywood can be the dream factory again. 24 When I go to a screening, sit in a theater seat, and the lights go down, there’s a little something inside me that hopes against all rational expectation that what I’m going to see on the screen is going to delight me, enchant me, and entice me, like the